Schools by area › West Northamptonshire › Castle Academy
Castle Academy
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Sponsored academy
St George's Street, Northampton NN1 2TR · castle.emat.uk · 01604 346802
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- May 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 69%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. West Northamptonshire 63%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 455
- 35 over 420 places · 108%
- Local authority
- West Northamptonshire
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 20.3%
- First language not English
- 74.7%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 53 families put the school first and 54 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 54 | 53 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 59 | 63 | 1.1▲ | 94% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 60 | 75 | 1.3▲ | 79% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 59 | 53 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 46 | 46 | 1 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 69% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 7% the higher standard. Across West Northamptonshire it was 63%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲69% | 62% | ||
| ●7% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●105 | 106 | ||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Castle Academy on 6 May 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
- Achievement: Expected standard
- Attendance and behaviour: Strong standard
- Personal development and well-being: Strong standard
- Early years: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 6 May 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Expected standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Strong standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Strong standard |
| Early years | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
Previously: Remains Good, ungraded inspection, Jan 2022
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Jan 2022Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Nov 2016Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective
What parents said
92% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (12 replies, to 2 January 2023).
- Recommend
- 92%
- Replies
- 12
- 3% · 2 Jan 2023
based on the 67% who raised concerns
based on the 50% who had a child bullied